Prestigious accreditation for local hospitals

Some fantastic news for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s anaesthetic team.

Some fantastic news for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s anaesthetic team - for the first time, Scarborough, Bridlington, and York hospitals have all achieved the prestigious Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) from the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA), demonstrating their commitment to patient safety and excellence of care.

ACSA is the RCoA’s peer-reviewed scheme that promotes quality improvement and the highest standards of anaesthetic service.  To receive accreditation, departments are expected to demonstrate high standards in areas such as patient experience, patient safety and clinical leadership.

In the overall findings, the review team found several areas of good practice in its report, and specifically the department successfully overcame the significant geographical challenges.  The reviewers also highlighted the department’s strong focus on patients.

ACSA lead reviewer, Dr Seema Quasim, Consultant Anaesthetist and Fellow of Royal College of Anaesthetists, explained: “I would like to congratulate the Anaesthetic Department of Scarborough and Bridlington hospitals on achieving ACSA accreditation.  They have been supported by colleagues at York Hospital, separately accredited previously, and they are working together to ensure safe care is delivered across the region.

“They should be proud; the department has engaged well with the ACSA process, and this has led to better data to guide quality improvement and to guide service provision.  All staff feel well supported in this friendly department and I believe they will continue to build on their successes, as they move towards reaccreditation in the future.”

Dr Andrzej Sladkowski, Consultant in Anaesthetics, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust added: “We have strengthened our team morale and spirit.  It has also brought together the wider crew including directorate managers, clinical leads, theatre and recovery staff, and intensive care colleagues.  We are very proud to be ACSA accredited.”

Simon Morritt, Chief Executive of York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which manages York, Scarborough and Bridlington hospitals, added: “I’m delighted that our anaesthetic team has been publicly recognised in this way, and I’d like to offer my congratulations to the entire anaesthetic department.

“They have worked hard to achieve this prestigious accreditation and they have clearly demonstrated their ability and passion for providing the best possible care for our patients.”